Pickle Day...

We received thirteen pounds of pickling cucumbers plus some huge "eaters" yesterday from my friend, Dawn and her husband Pete. So today is pickling day!

My godniece and her daughter are here from Minnesota, so they're going to help...just like my niece helped my sister, Lyn do pickles when she and her sister were little.

Lyn would get the cukes, fill their bathtub with water, and her two young daughters would scrub, while Lyn cut and prepared them for the jars.

Our operation won't involve bathtubs or lots of seeds and herbs. I choose fool-proof Mrs. Wages Mix for bread and butter pickles, and they'll be perfection by this afternoon. Plus, it will be fun to teach my great niece about how her grandma used to make pickles when her mama was little.

I work at 4 pm, so I'm going to get everything set up so we can get right after it when they arrive soon. I'll share pictures tomorrow. Happy Weekend!!

July Classmate Dinner...

Front: me, Julie and Cal. Back: John, Mary, Deb B., and Lisa

I get teased by one of the ladies when I say "I'm looking forward to tonight's gathering". She likes to remind me that 3:00 pm isn't "night". Silly me.

Even so, we shared another nice meal. I had the chance to hug my friend, Mary, whose husband passed earlier this month, celebrate John's son's liver transplant, hear all about a recent gall bladder surgery, and Julie's prize winning giant tomato making it into Guinness Book of World Records. 

As usual, our meal and visit lasted about two hours, and then we were ready to part company. Handsome joined us, and then offered to take the photo before we all said goodbye...until next month.

 

I Have A List...

 

I have more than a few steps left to complete my Monarch butterfly, so I made a list. Thanks to my trusty notebook from my class with Owen, I have all his instructions from start to finish. I'm really glad, too, because there are a few steps I know I would have missed.

Once these steps are completed, my butterfly will be finished. 

I know I'll get back to my needle dancing soon, but these days I've been consumed with clearing out clutter. I've come a long way, too. I have boxes of things going away and already the spaces I've been working on feel lighter. I'm motivated to continue. 

The heat has broken (finally), so it's perfect for clearing, boxing and cleaning. I guess this is where farmers came up with "Make hay while the sun shines". (I know that's not completely appropriate, but I'm going with it, and I know you understand my usage.)

This afternoon is another classmate dinner. Another of our group has lost her husband, so I know some heavy-duty support will be in order. We'll have another group photograph taken, so I'll be sharing that tomorrow. See you then. I'm off for my morning cuppa.

My (Our) Girl(s)...

Handsome took the ladies out for their morning run on Sunday, and after they were sufficiently exercised, he came in to get me.

He said that with our yard full of Queen Anne's lace and clover, I should get a few pictures of the girls posing amid the flowers.

As his mom (my dear mother-in-law) called these tongues hanging out, that's a lot of "boiled ham". Frankly, I don't blame them. It was dang hot on Sunday.

I think I got a pretty good shot of them - Bella on the left, and Carly on the right.

Yesterday started out pretty muggy, but we were expecting rain and cooler weather. What we didn't expect were severe weather warnings, torrential rains and high winds. We came through it with only one big branch out of the huge, old maple in our front yard. 

After the storm passed, the temperature had dropped 10-15°, the sun came out, and we had a beautiful breeze to cool everything down. We turned off our floor a/c unit and opened all the windows.

Further north wasn't so fortunate. Menasha, Wisconsin suffered the worst of it. There a citywide proclamation to stay off the streets (and more) from 10 pm - 5 am, except for emergency crews. The city has been devastated, with complete neighborhoods wiped out by what the weather service thinks was an F2 tornado (winds up to 135 mph). The videos and images I've seen are alarming and heartbreaking.

Folks caught on the highway during the storm had losses, too. Semis were pushed across lanes, causing awful accidents, and sections of highway have been closed down. 

My sister, Jan and niece, Stephanie live in towns on either side of Menasha and my nephew, Ethan and his family are a bit further south. I got in touch the both ladies, and E's mom (Stephanie) updated me on him and his family, too. Other than mild tree damage, they're all okay.

Please pray for the people who have suffered losses great and small. It's going to take Menasha and the surrounding areas more than a minute to recover. 

Happy Birthday, Sister Goldenhair...

Yesterday would have been my sister, Lyn's 70th birthday. This is her second celebration in Heaven. I know she and Dad celebrated with the rest of our loved ones who went before, but those of us she left behind sure wish she could have celebrated with us. 

This photograph was taken just after I turned 50. I'd like to think we would have celebrated this birthday with another photo shoot. It wasn't to be, but I wanted my daily diary blog to reflect that she was in my heart and on our minds, today and every day. Love never dies...

Happy Birthday, Lyndy.

 

Sunday Scriiture...

John 3:16

Saturday Silliness...

Truthfully...

 

I haven't been stitching at all the past two days. I've been busy sending "stuff" on to new homes. Between my sisters and nieces, I've cleaned up an overstuffed buffet, china cabinet, and at least one cupboard. 

I have so many useful and nice things I don't use anymore that I decided to let them go. What I've pulled that they don't want will be donated. I have to say, it feels pretty great, too.

I'm not finished yet either, but I work tonight, so I'll take it easy today, and get back to it tomorrow. 

Now, about this picture of my butterfly... I'm sure you must be wondering what the white thing is next to it. I can tell you that when I was in Kentucky with Owen and my classmates, there were a lot of jokes about its appearance!

What you're looking at is actually off-white muslin, sewn into a tapered tube, filled with emery (it can be sand, too), and then sewn closed. This will actually be the body structure for my Monarch. 

When I finish stitching up the body "cover", it will actually encase the filled muslin piece. Before I can do that, I'll release my wing parts from the ground fabric so they can be attached and the wires imbedded inside that cover, too. 

You can imagine, it's going to be a bit futzy manipulating all those parts. I'm going to see if I can get a short video of that part of my process to share with you when I get to that stage.

I have a little tidying up to do this morning, so I'll close for now. I'll see you tomorrow! Have a great weekend, friends.

With A Bit Of Luck...

I completed more of the body for my Monarch. I should finish it today. I can't wait to show you what comes next!

Be sure to stop by tomorrow, so I can share more of my progress and how I wrap up this part of the project.

Remember, I told you the wedding reception was casual last Saturday? Well, this photo should give you a little hint at just how relaxed the bride and groom were. They're pretty darned fun, too!

Joe is Linda K's son, and I've known him since he was a little boy. (Linda and I have been friends for fifty years this year.) He and Misty are crazy about each other. They were gracious hosts, taking time to visit with every guest. There was a lot of food, and they had two flavors of cake...a little something for everyone.

The party began at 2:00, and guests were free to come and go. It was like an open house that ended at 7:00 pm. I left around 3:30, as I had a drive ahead of me. While alcohol was served, I don't usually partake, especially when I'm driving.

Misty made sure I came home with cake for Handsome and me, I said goodbye to Linda and family, signed the guest book, grabbed two coozies, and hugged the newlyweds before leaving for my trip home. 

An hour and a half later, I was enjoying a cuppa in my favorite chair. A perfect end to a fun day.

Time for another work day already. It's finally cooled off a bit, so I'm looking ahead to a comfortable day. (It's been awful since the A/C in the store doesn't keep up on hot days.) Today should be a breeze.

I'd like to think I'll accomplish a lot when I get home later, but you know me. I'll probably sit down and end up taking a nap. heehee I'll see you tomorrow!

 

July Craft Day...

Adrienne's 

Saturday was busy, but fun. The ladies decided we'd paint this month. Adrienne found a painting tutorial on YouTube, so we we set up to followed along on her television as we painted.

Kim's

I sat next to Kim, and Marie and Adrienne sat across the table. (Arie sat at another table with George, who painted his own project. He's such a rebel!) 

We all felt apprehensive during the process, so there was a lot of stopping and starting of the video...and more than a little sighing or nervous giggling.

Aria's

But in the end we were all content with our finished watercolor Aurora borealis" paintings..

Marie's

Once we lined them up, we all said what we liked about each other's work. Some of us (😑🤚) decided painting is not our forté, but we had fun nevertheless.

Mine

Linda didn't make it to craft day, but I went to her house after, and we had a great visit until it was time for us to go to her son and new daughter-in-law's wedding reception.

They were married last month out of state, so this was an informal party to celebrate. It was nice to see everyone I hadn't seen in a while, and to congratulate the happy couple.

Sunday was a true day of rest. I have PT this morning, and then I'll get pack to my butterfly. Happy Monday!

Sunday Scripture...

Ephesians 3: 16-17

Saturday Silliness...

Yes, I Am!

A Good Day To Be Indoors...

I managed to get a lot accomplished on my Monarch body yesterday. Only a few more segments to do until it's finished.

Today will start with my annual wellness check.(oh, joy)  Mid-day will allow me more time for needle dancing, and then work a few hours tonight. Another Friday already. sigh

Tomorrow is Craft Day, followed by a wedding reception for Marie's brother (Linda's son) who married in Colorado last month. I just love a celebration! 

Happy, Happy Weekend, friends. 

Home All Day...

No appointments today, so I'll be doing things here at home. I'll start by checking the bird feeders and cleaning the birdbaths so they have cool, fresh water. Next is to put in a load of laundry, and then im going to sit down to my needlework frame. 

It's hazy and smoky here from the Canadian fires, so even though it's a bit cooler, having the windows open isn't wise. I'm praying for safety for the wildlife and people to our north.

Our lawn is filled with wildflowers - Queen Anne's lace, chickory, clover, wild oregano, wood sorrel, bird's foot trefoil, and a few others - taking over our yard these days. They thrive (because of their deep roots) when grass browns due to lack of rain. When it doesn't rain, we don't mow because it just browns and stresses the grass. Between you and me, I love the riot of wildflowers taking over. I think wildlife does, too.

So for now, I'm the wild child walking barefoot through our yard, enjoying how Mother Nature takes over when we allow her time and space. I'll definitely be spending some time enjoying the display today.

It's That Hot...

I've got another doctor's appointment this afternoon. I've already filled the bird feeders and refilled the bird baths with fresh, clean, cold water.

Bella and Carly had their morning run around, so as soon as they're settled I'll feed them. I'm giving Handsome a break today.

Yesterday and all of this week our temperatures here in Wisconsin nearly match what they've got in sw Florida! I thought we moved back to get away from that. I promise, my northern friends, we didn't pack this weather to bring back in our moving trucks!

Well, enough whining for me (today). After I get back from my appointment, my plan is to do a little more stitching on my Monarch project. I think whatever I'm going to do will be low exertion, for sure.

Take it easy and drink lots of water. Stay safe, friends. I'll see you tomorrow.

 

Like A Disney Movie...

The "wildest" things happen if you pay attention. Around 8:30 last night, I was walking through the dining room to the kitchen when some movement outside caught my eye. There was a doe eating windfall apples under our old tree!

I took about a half dozen photos of her, but in this one, she had noticed something, too. 

Ambling across the driveway was a raccoon! It was heading right toward the apple tree.

Lucky me. I watched and waited long enough to get one image of both of them before they parted ways. Both moved into the tall grass as it started to get dark. I swear the first thing I thought of was that this looked like something out of a Disney movie! What do you think?

Body Building...

I've begun work on the Monarch's body. I actually finished the segment in process above before I stopped for the day. Progress is slow when stitching primarily black on black. (Between you and me, it's hard to photograph, too!)

Saturday was difficult, but my niece and nephew celebrated their dad in a way that was touching and respectful. So many friends and family attended, and paid their respects to Mike and the life he lived. Thank you for the kind messages you left.

I'm looking at another busy week this week. I have a one year checkup for my knee replacement; work; one year follow-up on cardiac tests results pre-knee surgery; annual wellness check; craft day in Portage, followed by a wedding reception for Linda's son and his new bride. Sunday will definitely be a day of rest!

I'll do my best to get a bit of needle dancing in this week, and I'm also working on wool pincushion patterns and an ATC tutorial. Just thinking about all this makes me want to take a nap. Rest assured, I'll sleep well at night. Better get busy now. My doctor's appointment is an hour away. I don't want to be late!

Sunday Scripture...

 

Matthew 5:4

Saturday Silliness...

Me, too, Steve.  Me, too.

Butterfly Body...

I set up the fabric and design for the body for my Monarch yesterday.  I needed some lightweight black fabric for this, drawing from the materials we used in the RSN class Owen taught in Kentucky. 

Having nothing like that in my fabric room, I opted to "shop" my closet. I had just what I needed in a dress top that no longer fits me. (It's one of those "I'll get back into it someday" tops that has taken up space in my closet for the past twelve years or so.)

After I hooped a double layer of fabric, I had to draw my butterfly body. Owen had drawn the design on our fabric for our class. He never included the drawing in the size we actually used in our worksheets. He only had enlarged drawings with the stitch diagrams. 

However, I kept my practice needlework of the body done on calico fabric, so I cut out the embroidery and used it as a size template for my Monarch.

Once drawn, I got out my light box and white Clover pen to transfer the design to my fabric. My next step will be to tack the two layers of fabric together (with Gutterman thread) to prepare it for stitching with my silk threads. Then I'll be good to go.

Tomorrow is Mike's memorial service. Steve the Otter will be saying hi to add a little levity to an otherwise somber weekend. I'll add my Sunday Scripture, and will be back with you on Monday. 

Hug your loved ones. That's what we'll be doing.

Concert Night...

The Percussion Section

Handsome had a concert last night, but because there were expected storms, the venue changed from outdoor at the park to indoor. The sad part was that the indoor venue was half an hour from town, so there were only about forty people in the audience.

The Entire Band

The school gymnasium was really nice, and the music was so enjoyable. Everyone had front row seats, too. 

Handsome Hard At Work

The wild part was that we had no rain during the concert, but just about the time the percussion section, the music director, and a few others were getting ready to load all the chairs and percussion instruments into the band trailer, the thunder and lightning started.

By the time they were finished loading up, everyone was soaked. We drove home in heavy rain with quite the light show to boot! I remarked that it's been quite a while since we were out at night in inclement weather. We usually have the option to stay in - so we do! I was so relieved when we drove in the garage.

Even so, I'm awfully glad I went along. I was there to watch my husband do what he loves best...and it was a fun concert, too!

He has another concert tonight out of town. They're performing in a park under a shelter. I'm staying home for this one (it's nearly the same as last night's program), so I'll pray we have nice weather and he's not soaked when he gets home.

I'm going to be working on my butterfly, so I'll have an update for you tomorrow.

Many of us are already grandparents, but I loved this so much I needed to share it. For the entirety of my blogging experience, I've had a William Rutherford quote at the bottom of my main page. I'm sure you've seen it. 

This image aligns with Rutherford's quote and my own personal thoughts on the subject. Perhaps that's forms part of my creative imperative?

At any rate, if you don't yet have a skill that you can teach to someone younger, find someone older who is anxious to pass along their knowledge and learn from them. I can guarantee there are anxious teachers and students who will benefit.